What lies ahead.. and behind you

[TaeaDawn]

The cool night breeze came up and wrapped around Aramina sur Dulciena as she walked towards a middle of the road Inn. It wasn't the best in town and it wasn't the worst, but it had it's share of rowdy moments. For that reason Aramina chose to stay there. She was comfortable in this sort of establishment, from years of travelling to other such places in search of Eyes and Ears that would send her up to date, reliable information. The owner of the Silver String was a woman of middling age and size, her eyes always quick and her tongue quicker. Aramina thought she might become a new contact if this trip went well. Already her information had shown reliable and her meeting tonight had proven it.

 

She walked into the Inn, smiling at the sounds and energy that she always found in such places. It was a sound that almost meant home to her. She was torn for a moment as the Innkeeper motioned her to the kitchen but Aramina shook her head, knowing the woman only wanted to fatten her up. The 5 day trip to Cairhein had left Aramina tired and she had barely settled into a room before sprinting off to her meeting. She'd only changed out of her dusty clothes and into something more appropriate for meeting a minor Lord and had left.

 

So now the last thing she wanted to do was sit in the Commonroom and eat with the others. She had a few more nights to enjoy the mood that would consume her, to endulge in her dancing and pretend for a few hours that the world was as light as it had been when she lived in Cairhein herself. Tonight, she needed solitude and quiet, a night to sooth her nerves and think out her plans.

 

Making her way up the stairs to her room at the back of the Inn, a serving girl asked if she needed anything. Aramina shooed her away with a quick smile and told her she was simply going to sleep. It would keep them all out of her hair until the morning when the Innkeeper would try to fill her with 3 meals worth of food. She had done so in the last 2 vists here.

 

With a smile Aramina opened her door. On the edge of the bed sat a letter though and Aramina's smile vanished. Who had come in that the Innkeeper hadn't seen? She coudln't believe the woman would sell her out. She opened the letter carefully, checking first for any wards upon it. There were only two words written in a crisp, clear hand. "Behind you."

 

[Wayfarer]

Smirking as the door opened, Aran watched as Aramina walked straight over to the letter and after a moment's hesitation took it up. Silent were his footsteps as he stood as close to her as possible at her back, suppressing his laughter. As she whirled, she bumped his arm which was his cue to roar into her ear as loudly as he could while stepping into her.

 

Aramina jumped back, her heart racing as she reached for Saidar. The One Power filled her and she was about to wrap her attacker in air as she looked at the form before her. The laughing form before her. The goat-headed bloody man that was laughing at her. She took a deep breath before speaking, though she was still tempted to give him a tongue lashing he wouldn't soon forget.

 

He'd probably just close his eyes and sleep through it though, as he had their other arguements, and Aramina wasn't sure her ego could handle that. Aran made something inside her loosen up and she didn't know how to stop it anymore than she knew how to stop looking for him in the Yards or wishing he would visit her in the Tower. She sighed, letting out a rugged breath before speaking. "Aran, you were about a hairs breath from getting decapitated as a Trolloc that must have come to seize me." She said in a stern voice.

 

Tears were falling Aran was laughing so hard. In fact he was struggling to breath, and he had to give up on standing altogether as he fell back onto his arse. The look on her face just made him laugh harder, leading him to squeeze out a few words as best he could. "Light... Shoulda seen your face." Laughing as he laid back on the floor, he did actually make an attempt to restrain himself. He failed.

 

And this proved without a doubt that he was the most insufferable man on the face of the world, Aramina thought as she stared down at him. He was...well.. encouragable really. She was trying very hard to stay angry with him. In fact, she had managed to keep a straight face so far, but it was going to be ruined any minute now if Aran didn't stop laughing. The sound of it was almost addictive to her, a call to join herself, but she resisted for a moment. "What are you doing in Cairhein, Aran?" she asked, trying one more time to get him to talk to her instead of laugh at her.

 

"Laughing." The look of exasparation on her face merely made him laugh almost to the point of giggling. Waving a hand to try and forestall the avalanche that was to come, Aran spoke as best he could, though he struggled to restrain his laughter once more. "Oh, you know, Aes Sedai need their keepers."

 

It was possible that he could have said something worse to her, but doubtful. Her current frame of mind was drifting all too easily to the time Aran had saved her from a contact that had gone bad. It was a small dig that he would remind her of it now. "Do we really?" She asked in an icy voice. "Pehaps, but then I'm not sure a laughing baffoon is up for the job. Perhaps when you've calmed down from you humour you'll be ready to talk."

 

There was nothing else to do really. She wouldn't use the One Power on him again as she had when she had first miunderstood the man. There was no way she was going to remain in the same room with him at the moment though. Her choices were slim so she made it quickly. She wasn't running from him, but rather retreating to a safe distance, she told herself. A safe distance from him and the proximity of a bed. In the Commonroom she asked the Innkeeper to bring her a glass of wine and took a seat in the corner, waiting.

 

It was a few minutes, in fact ten or so before Aran was able to put himself together. Well, enough that he wouldn't laugh the moment he saw her. Wandering into the commonroom, he saw Aramina and he had to walk out of the commonroom again, which she saw no less. But, he was going to make it to the table without laughing, once he was there he could get away with a slip.

 

His second attempt was more successful, despite the large grin plastered on his face as he sat down next to her. He tried to say something but had to stop himself, putting a hand on his mouth and turning his laugh into a cough as best he could. Light but he couldn't get her face as she realised it was him out of his mind. He was sensible enough to keep what he said low enough so no one else could hear. "So, how is my little Princess? You still annoyed?" He poked her arm gently. "Huh? Huh?"

 

She had calmed down a bit as she sat at the table, waiting. The proximity of a bed seemed to cause problems in her thinking when Aran was close. She refused to acknowledge that Aran himself caused it just by being close, even if she did know she would never be able to get that lie off her tongue. His first attempt at entering the room was noticed. Aramina frowned as he walked away and she took a large drink of her wine to cover her irritation as soon as she realized she was scowling at the working girls. Light, but the man addled her wits! Where was her perfect facade that had served her so well over the years?

 

In time Aran came back down again, though his smile was caked on and Aramina wondered how he kept his jaws from cracking like that. He poked her gently and she was tempted to give him a small wack but refrained. She could be better than him. She would not stoop to his level. "Annoyed? I would have been annoyed if you had shown up in my room and surprised me. Annoyed does not begin to cover your behavior after Tower Guard."

 

Coughing into his hand to cover his laugh at her response, Aran's grin communicated how hurt he was. That was to say, not at all. What hurt was trying not to laugh. "I feel terrible, really, some would say mortified. We both know you're not going to be able to stay mad, don't we? Besides, I got you beautifully, I've nev-" Coughing into his hand again, it took him a moment but he managed to get his terrible coughing fit under control. "Its nice to see you all the same."

 

Oh, the light blind her for a fool! Even as irritating and annoying as he could get, Aran had a tendency to say what it was she needed to hear and burn him if he hadn't done it again! She leaned forward and covered her face in her hands for a moment and let out a soft sigh. When she pulled her hands away a small smile was on her face. "What am I going to do with you Aran?" she asked in a fond voice.

 

Chuckling, Aran banished a few of the ideas that came to mind in favour of something a bit more urgent. "Howabout share a meal with me? I'm starving, haven't eaten since I came into the city. Been busy, amongst other things finding where you were staying. Slippery little thing when you set your mind to it." He decided to omit the fact he'd been held up, hence why he'd lost her.

 

Aramina's smile brightened again and she looked over to the Innkeeper who made a habit of taking care of visiting Aes Sedai. She motioned to the kitchen and the Innkeeper nodded, though she took a moment to eye Aran before walking away. She turned her attention back to him then. "It would be so much easier to find out where I'm staying if you just asked. Instead of following me." She said as they waited for the food to arrive.

 

"Easier, yes." Putting his right elbow on the table, he let his hand rest in the cup of his right hand as he spoke on with an easy grin. "But the idea came to me early on with that letter, there was no chance of me spoiling that unless I absolutely had to."

 

"You really are going to get in trouble if I hear even one peep about that letter in Tar Valon. Especially if I hear it in the barracks." She said, trying to look grim but succeding only in looking fondly at him. The food came then and Aramina took the chance to thank the Innkeeper for her services. She looked Aran over for a minute as she refilled Aramina's wine cup. "Do you need a room as well my Lord?" she asked.

 

"Most likely not, though I may take you up on the offer yet, thank you." Smiling as she acquiesced and left the pair alone, Aran turned to his plate. The first thing that stuck out was the lentils, not his favourite food by far so they were the first thing he attacked as he spoke. "Can't make any promises, but we'll see." Grinning at her, he added. "So, what have you been up to apart from that meeting earlier?"

 

"What makes you think I had a meeting?" She asked sweetly.

 

Swallowing his food, Aran grinned at her. "For one, you didn't deny it."

 

"I was not at a meeting this evening." Aramina said straight out before taking a drink from her wine. Which was true, her meeting had been in the afternoon. She had made a few rounds in the city to visit other people but none that were beyond casual contact.

 

Giving Aramina a long look to say he knew exactly how adroit she had been, he swallowed the last bit of lentil before speaking. "The second clue would be that you warded the conversation with Nalwin Colbaer, not that it helped any. He really needs to learn to cover his mouth more."

 

Aramina's facade came up quicker than she had expected it could in present company. Long years of playing the Great Game, of playing words and dancing politics brought it up before she realized it. Her stone faced facade, the perfect Aes Sedai demeanor, stared back at Aran. On the inside she felt disbelief at his spying, but none of it showed except that she wore the facade again.

 

"You followed me to my meeting?" She asked. "Why? Why are you here Aran?" she demanded.

 

Rolling his eyes as he saw her put her wall up, Aran grinned at her. "You should well know the answer to that. I'm a Tower Guard, I guard people, on this occasion you. All things considered, I would have thought that rather obvious, not the first time I've watched over you while you've been off visiting a contact after all." Aran grinned as he let that one wash over her.

 

Since she hadn't been inviting him along as often as he knew she headed out, he had the Tower Guards on all the inner gates inform him when she left and if he hadn't been able to make it, he'd made sure someone else had. Impaling a small piece of pork on his fork, he held it up and grinned at her "this is really good, you should order some."

 

Aramina wanted to scream in frustration but she held back. Then something else hit her. "Who sent you Aran?" she asked quietly, he hands laying still in her lap. "You didn't just leave Tar Valon without word from someone. So who sent you?"

 

"The Amyrlin Seat." Managing the straight face for only a moment, Aran chuckled. "Well, not quite. You sure you don't want some pork, its quite good?" The irritated look he received only made his grin wider. "I'm afraid I can't tell you who it was, the individual was concerned for your safety nevertheless and I have to say I agreed with that person. So, I'm here doing my duty as such, which is rather pleasant considering the company. You're going to have to pout less though, otherwise you're going to get wrinkles."

 

Light, she wished she could make the man take the three oaths. She might be able to believe a word he said that way. Or not since Aran seemed to be able to evade the truth as well as an Sister she had ever met. Was it such a hard thing to have him here, away from the Tower and where she could enjoy his company? So he could see the life she led when she was outside the Tower? No. But the idea that he might be spying on her was.

 

She took a chance then. "I just need you to answer one things Aran. If you don't answer, I'll know what it means and I won't press more. Were you sent to spy on me?" she asked. She needed to trust him, to let him answer and believe it. She had doubted him too often already and all he had been was a friend to her, as cold as the thought made her feel.

 

Setting down his knife and fork, Aran just looked at Aramina for a moment. That curious lack of trust she had in him was a sore point, he gave as much as he could and he expected the same in return. That sort of question wasn't a worthy one. The fact that he was irritated by it only served to irritate him further.

 

"If I were sent to spy on you, don't you feel its a little unlikely that I would approach you? Or if I were, would I tell you I was? Us..." Pausing, Aran took a moment before continuing, there was no need for that. "No, I'm not spying on you." Turning to his meal, he decided the best way to deal with his irritation was not to give it voice. Patience was a virtue after all, and one of the few he'd spent some time cultivating.

 

Aramina felt like a weight had been lifted from her chest. For a moment it had felt like he was going to evade her question and she had felt helplessly upset by it. But he had answered and she was going to take him at his word. Not only wanted to, but it felt right to take his word, to trust him in this. She took a deep breath, a smile on her face. As she looked at Aran she knew the old argument must still be playing through his head.

 

He didn't understand how hard it was to work through 150 years of mistrust and deceit any more than she understood how easily he could give those things to her. He didn't understand what a step it was that she was willing to trust him on his word just yet. It was something she was trying to work on with him, but patience was limited and she knew she needed to make it up to him.

 

She slipped quietly from his side and spoke with the Innkeeper for a moment. Music began in the other corner and Aramina came back to him, holding a hand out to Aran. "Dance with me?" She asked. "Let me show you why I slip away like I do. Live with me tonight like I live outside the Tower?"

 

Looking up at Aramina, he knew being irritated was stupid, that was part of why he was so irritated. Regardless, he wasn't going to let his irritation put a wall up between them after all his effort to get her to open up. Smiling slightly as he got to his feet, he took her hand and walked with her to the cleared space where a few others had decided to likewise venture as the music began. A slow tune, it was relaxing and allowed the irritation to seep out of him, to be replaced with an easy grin and a certain thankfulness for the company as they proceeded to pass the rest of the night away...

 

 

Aran

Tower Guard

 

Aramina sur Dulciena

Sitter of the Green Ajah